Escalators which follow a curved path of travel from entry landing to exit landing are generally known in the prior art. There are two general approaches which have been taken in the prior art to designing an operable curved escalator. One approach involves the use of a path of travel which, in plan, is defined by an arc having varying radii of curvature and emanating from a shifting center. The other approach involves the use of a path of travel which, in plan, is defined by an arc of constant radius struck from a fixed center.
Patent publications which relate to the aforesaid first approach include: Japanese Patent Publication No. 48-25559 of July, 1973; German Patent Publication No. 3,441,845, June 13, 1985; U.S. Pat. No. 4,662,502, Nakatani et al, granted May 5, 1987; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,746,000, Nakatani et al, granted May 24, 1988.
Patent publications which relate to the aforesaid second approach include: U.S. Pat. Nos. 685,019, Oct. 22, 1901; 723,325, Mar. 24, 1903; 727,720, May 12, 1903; 782,009, Feb. 7, 1905; 967,710, Aug. 16, 1910; 2,695,094, Nov. 23, 1954; 2,823,785, Feb. 18, 1958; 3,878,931, Apr. 22, 1975; 4,726,460, Feb. 23, 1988; 4,730,717, Mar. 15, 1988; 4,739,870, Apr. 26, 1988; British Patent No. 292,641, June 22, 1928; and Japanese Patent Disclosure No. 58-220077, 1983.
Japanese Patent Disclosure No. 58-220077, dated Dec. 21, 1983 discloses a curved escalator which has a constant radius, fixed center arcuate path of travel when viewed in plan. When the treads of the escalator move from the horizontal landing to the constant slope intermediate zone, they are properly repositioned by accelerating and decelerating their inside edges in the transition zones adjacent the landings. The differential movement of the inside tread edges is accomplished with pivoting links which interconnect the step axles of adjacent steps and which are joined at pivot points provided with rollers that traverse a track. The step axles also have rollers at their inside ends which travel over another track vertically spaced from the link roller track. The position of the inside edges of the steps is varied in the transition zone by varying the vertical distance between the inside step axle roller track and the link roller track beneath it. The links lengthen in the constant slope portion of the escalator and shorten in the horizontal landing and turn around zones. The steps are engaged by driving chains which connect to the step axles only in the constant slope zone where the position of the steps relative to each other remains constant. The drive chains do not contact the step axles in the transition, landing, or turn around zones. Varying the position of the inside edge of the steps requires that the connecting links be shortened in the horizontal and turn around zones of the escalator, and the use of two separate tracks for the inside step axle roller and for the adjustment link rollers, requires that the adjustment links will always be skew throughout the entire path of travel of the escalator. The use of two separate axle roller and link roller tracks also requires that the drive housing and tread reverse sprockets be vertically elongated.
Charles D. Seeberger was a turn-of-the-century inventor who obtained U.S. Pat. Nos. 617,778, granted Jan. 17, 1899; 617,779, granted Jan. 17, 1899; 984,495, granted Feb. 14, 1911; 984,858, granted Feb. 21, 1911; and 999,885, granted Aug. 8, 1911, which all relate to curve escalators. The 617,779 patent discusses the need to shorten and lengthen step chains in a curved escalator having a path of travel which has portions with different radii. The step chains are formed with segments which are threadably connected to each other. The segments are rotated by a pinion mechanism to unscrew, or tighten the threaded connections whereby the chain is lengthened or shortened when necessary. The 984,495 patent states that a curved escalator with a fixed radius, constant center cannot have both ends of adjacent step axles connected to each other by links of fixed length. A scissor connection is then made between succeeding axles, and a slight adjustment of this connection is made when the steps move from the curved horizontal track section to the inclined curved section of the track. The adjustment is described at Page 3, line 119 to Page 4, line 28 of the patent. The 999,885 patent describes a curved escalator having its steps connected together at their inner and outer edges, with the outer edge connection being of constant length, and the inner edge connection being variable by reason of adjustable links.